A puppy that was treading water in the middle of Lake Michigan was saved and returned to its owners by a boating family on a family vacation on the lake.
A “red animal” was sighted on the lake by Jeannie Wilcox, according to an interview with WOOD-TV. Wilcox and her family were on a boating trip from Grand Haven to Frankfort on Friday when they saw the “red animal” approximately eight hours into the trip…
The woman claimed, “I saw this red animal in the lake and I began yelling, ‘Dog in the water!'” she said.
It is believed that the dog was swimming alone about four miles offshore and had been treading water for upwards of an hour, according to Wilcox…
“It was quite simple for us to get her up on our swim platform,” Wilcox said. “We were able to dry her off. She seemed to be terrified and shivering.”
In order to get the dog microchipped, Wilcox and her family went four hours to Belmont, where they were successful, she added. Once the owners were identified, the two families met at the docks to exchange the puppy.
According to a video posted on Facebook by Wilcox, the dog can be seen sprinting to its owners’ side, much to their surprise.
“Best wishes for a happy reunion! Off The Hook… often known as water dog rescue… is a place where all dogs are welcome.
“Wilcox captioned the video with a reference to the name of the boat they were on.
The Wilcox family expressed their gratitude for being able to play a role in the happy reunion of the canine, who is now safely at home.
“I just hope that if this was my dog, someone would do the same for me,” Wilcox expressed optimism for the future. Because I am well aware of how harsh Lake Michigan can be, I would just be glad and pleased to get such treatment.
Watch the full video below…
